The Missing Message
by Naomitrekkie
Summary: What happened after the Doctor and the EMH2 retook the Prometheous.
1. Getting Through to the Hope

I do not own star trek voyager or its characters.

This story takes place during "Message in a Bottle," between the time the Doctor and the EMH mark 2 retake the Prometheus and when the Doctor returns to Voyager.

I hope you like it and enjoy!

Chapter 1: Getting Through to the Hope

Ensign James Markins materialized on the bridge USS Prometheus, not sure what to expect. According to sensors, no one was in that area, which made him fear some sort of sensor problem. He had expected to see a Romulan that had switched sides or something, but not this.

Standing by the captain's chair were two Starfleet officers in medical blue and one of which was wearing an outdated uniform. He and his comrade--Lieutenant Conroy--lowered their weapons, not prepared to shoot two Starfleet officer. He examined them and one of them seemed familiar, but he wasn't sure how that was.

All that he did know was that they seemed pleased with themselves. They must have taken the ship back from Romulan control, but how? Why would the Romulans leave two starfleet officers alive? And why was one in an outdated uniform?

"Identify yourself," Lieutenant Conroy said. Markins watched as the two smiled at each other. They seemed to be fighting over how would go first with a chorus of "you first" s. Markins knew something had to be wrong with these officers. Finally, the one in the current uniform spoke.

"I am an EMH mark two. The first of my kind," he said. Then he turned toward his comrade. "It was thanks to his genius we were able to retake the ship from Romulan control.

"Yes, well I can thank my years of experience for that. I am an EMH mark one, from the USS Voyager." Markins looked at the EMH mark one and laughed.

"Voyager, huh? This just proves how much we need the mark two."

"I'll have you know that I am the Chief Medical Officer aboard Voyager and that if weren't from my medical expertise, Voyager and her crew would not be in its current state of perfect health." Markins continued laughing.

"Have you had a diagnostic lately? Voyager has been declared officially missing. And if you're not malfunctioning, stop spreading lies!" Markins did not like talking about Voyager. It was his least favorite topic. He also didn't like how this outdated EMH was studying him.

"What is your name?" That caught Markins off guard. So he told the mark one and watched as his face flashed with recognition. "If I am not mistaken, Ensign Wildman has a younger sister who married a man at the Academy, a man named James Markins." That was all the proof he needed to know this was a spy. A poorly chosen one at that.

Lieutenant Conroy could tell Markins was ready to explode. His sister-in-law had been on Voyager when it was lost and this "know-it-all" EMH was taunting him.

"Look, we'll have our chief engineer run a diagnostic. Until then, we need to call our captain," Conroy said. He hit his combadge and opened a channel to the bridge of the USS Hope. "Captain, we have the situation here under control. The reason we were detecting no life signs on the bridge was because the ship had be taken over by a couple of EMHs."

_EMHs? _Captain Starth thought. Although he didn't know how, he wanted to see this for himself. "I'm beaming over. In what state are the Romulans?" He expected to here from Conroy but instead he heard the voice of and EMH mark one. Their voice was unmistakable.

"We administered a drug in gaseous form the sedate them. They should be out for a while."

"Alright. I'll be over there in a few minutes." And with that, Captain Starth left his first officer in command and headed toward the transporter room. He wanted to see what was going on.

He materialized on the bridge of the Prometheus and saw two EMHs. The mark one was obviously the one in the outdated uniform, which he noted as odd. All the mark ones had been reprogramed with the current uniform, like the EMH standing next to him. Looking at the other EMH, he noted it must be the new mark two. He walked over to them, questions in mind.

"How did you get here?" He knew the mark two had been programed into the ship but the mark one was not.

"It's a long story but I was sent here from a ship in the delta quadrant using alien technology."

"Delta Quadrant?" Starth asked. "There are no ships in the delta quadrant."

"That," the mark one said, "is where you are wrong. Four years ago, the USS Voyager went on a mission to the Badlands and was abducted by an alien known as the Caretaker. This Caretaker had been searching for a mate from all over the galaxy, stealing ships and then abandoning them in the delta quadrant."

"Wait," Starth said. "Are you telling me Voyager and her crew are alive?"

"For the most part. There were some casualties and now Voyager's crew consists of Starfleet, ex-Maquis, a Talaxian, a former Borg drone, and is home to one child. Captain Janeway is determined not to rest until Voyager returns home."

Starth couldn't believe it. Captain Janeway. He looked at the EMH and knew he wanted his chief engineer to run a diagnostic. If this EMH weren't malfunctioning, then it gave the rest of them hope.

"Alright, mark one, I'll have my chief medical officer examine your program. If she finds you're telling the truth, I'll call Starfleet command."

"Thank you," the mark one said. Starth hit his combadge and gave the necessary orders. He was still amazed at what the mark one had said. He had never heard an EMH say thank you, ever. It wasn't in their programing or so he believed.

--

Commander Jane Paris examined the EMH mark one with amazement. She had never seen an EMH like this before--and the USS Hope had seen--and overworked--its fair share of mark ones. She didn't care that Captain Starth was looking over her shoulder the entire time. It was just too fascinating.

When she was done, she left the EMH in the Prometheus's Sickbay and walked outside with her captain.

"Report," he said. he had heard her murmuring while examining and hoped she would have something constructive to say.

"It's amazing sir. I have never seen an EMH like it. If it's made by an enemy, they went well out of their way to be accurate. It has been active for four years and has all the memory files to back it up. It can turn itself off--something not in the mark one's original programing--and it has subroutines that no standard EMH would ever need."

"Such as?"

"Singing, dancing, painting, and other hobbies. Just by glancing at the memory files, it's obviously not a hoax. That EMH is the CMO of the USS Voyager. He's done extraordinary things, from making additions to his own programing to going on away missions, to de-borgifing a borg drone."

"OK, OK, I get the picture. So I guess we call Starfleet now?"

"We should have called hours ago. This is a genuine miracle." She smiled at him, then entered Sickbay again. She faced the mark one and smiled at him. "Can I call you Doctor?"

"It's better than 'mark one,'" he said. "I would like to know when I can contact Starfleet Command. I really would like to go back to Voyager and my Sickbay before Mr. Paris wrecks it."

Jane Paris looked at him. She had seen the name "Tom" multiple times but she had not realized who Tom was.

"Are you talking about Thomas Eugene Paris?" she asked hopefully.

"As a matter of fact, I am. Do you know him?"

"He's my little brother. I can't believe you managed to make him a medical officer and not put him at the helm," she said.

"It was difficult but since he had the most advanced medical training after our medical staff was lost, I had to train him to become Chief Medic. However, I am glad he executes his duties as Chief helmsman better than as a medic or Voyager would be in trouble." Jane laughed at that, knowing this mark one could not be talking about anyone besides her brother.

Captain Starth decided now was as good as time as any to interrupt. "if any of you would like to join me, I am going to the bridge to contact Starfleet Command."

That got their attention. The mark one and his chief engineer were walking out of Sickbay in a heartbeat.

To Be Continued . . .

what do you think? please comment! i'll try to be as quick as i can for the next chapter. fingers crossed for no internet problems!


	2. Message to Starfleet Command

**I am so sorry this took so long. I meant to post it a while ago but I've been busy with school work and other things. For anyone who's read "Just One More Day," I have not abandoned it, only put it to the side for a while, until I can get past my writer's block. I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

I do not own star trek voyager or its characters.

Chapter 2: Message to Starfleet Command

Admiral Owen Paris sat behind his desk, staring at the picture of his son. he couldn't believe that he had lost his son. He realized only too late that he had been to hard on his son. He realized it might even be his fault for why his son turned out so badly.

But it was too late. He had been on Voyager when it went missing four years earlier. Now, there was no hope in finding Voyager or his son ever again. His son was no doubt dead and there was nothing he could do to help his son. If only he had been more supportive and less strict, maybe then his son would be alive. He would never know. Now all he could do was stare at his son's picture, one of the last he had of him in uniform.

He was taken from his thoughts when his secretary called him. "Admiral, there's a call from Captain Starth of the USS Hope. He's calling from the bridge of the USS Prometheus and says it urgent that he speak with you."

"Patch it through," the admiral said. He knew the USS Hope was the ship his eldest daughter was assigned to as chief engineer. At least he hadn't screwed up all his kids.

Suddenly, on his personal viewsceen, the face of Captain Starth appeared. In the background, Admiral Owen could see the bridge of the Prometheus.

"Report," the admiral said. The Prometheus didn't seem to be too badly damaged, which was odd.

"The Prometheus is back in the hands of the Federation. We have the Romulans in custody." Admiral Paris was impressed.

"How?"

"With the assistance of two EMHs. They managed to retake the ship before we arrived, then attacked the Romulans who were coming to undoubtedly take the Prometheus."

"Are you telling me a couple of EMHs were capable of regaining control of a ship under Romulan control? How?" This was more interesting than his thoughts.

"I'll let him tell you." Suddenly, captain starth left the screen and in his place was the face of an EMH mark one--in the wrong uniform--and his daughter. The EMH spoke.

"Admiral, to answer how we regained control, we managed to release a sedative agent in gaseous form to knock out the Romulans, then managed to separate the ship and attack the other Romulans. It's nothing new for me, however for the mark two, it was quite an experience." Admiral Paris was shocked. The tale was amazing and unbelievable. Apparently his doubt was seen on his face because his daughter spoke next.

"Sir, I ran extensive diagnostics on this EMH and what he said--and is about to say--is completely true." She said it with a smile, which made his wonder what this EMH could have to say.

"Admiral, you may be wondering how I came to the Prometheus and why I'm out of uniform. The answer is simple. I've been sent from a ship that was lost in the delta quadrant four years ago. It was abducted by a being known as the Caretaker and since then has searched fro a way home. It hadn't been able to communicate until just recently, when it found alien technology and sent me to deliver a message. That message is that the USS Voyager is alive and on its way home."

Admiral Paris couldn't believe it. He looked at his daughter and she nodded. "Tom's alive," she told him with a smile.

"Yes, I am happy to be able to inform you that although your son can be annoying, he is alive and healthy, along with the rest of Voyager's diverse crew." Admiral Paris couldn't believe it. No wonder his daughter told him he ran scans of this EMH.

"Tell me more--about the crew in particular."

"When Voyager was first pulled into the delta quadrant, we lost people including the first officer, medical staff, chief engineer, and others. Many people needed to be given new positions. I was among them, given the position of CMO. Your son was too. Captain Janeway reinstated his commission and made hims chief helmsman. Four years ago, we also added the Maquis crewmembers--which we had gone after in the first place--and two aliens. Since then . . ."

Admiral Paris listened as the EMH continued. It was amazing. He was glad this conversation was being recorded because there was no way he would remember all of this information. He was glad to here the crew--and his son--were doing well and had managed to already cross tens of thousands of light years in their four years. It was an amazing tale. He had been fascinated by the story of Janeway's alliance--however temporary--with the Borg and the Borg drone they had liberated. He was surprised to hear it was a human who had been assimilated eighteen years earlier, when the Federation knew extremely little about them.

He was happy to hear about how his son had designed and constructed a new shuttle--the Delta Flyer, respectively--and that Tom was also the Chief Medic. He was happy that his son was happy. And according to the EMH, he was in a relationship with the ex-Maquis, half-Klingon chief engineer. He smiled at that, realizing that Voyager was probably the best thing for him.

As he neared the end of his tale--which was quite long but what could be expected--he said something that caught Admiral Paris's attention. "This crew has been through a great deal in the past four years but hearing that Starfleet knows they're alive will cheer everyone up immensely. You have no idea what this means to the crew of Voyager. Even little Naomi Wildman will be aware of the significance."

Admiral Paris smiled at that, unsure of what to say. He had been thinking the whole time about what he news was like for him and the people here, completely forgetting what the people aboard Voyager were thinking. That even the child who knew only Voyager as a home would understand the significance meant a lot.

"I am glad we have been able to set the story straight. Before you return, there's a message I'd like you to relay to Voyager. 'You are no longer alone.'"

"I will, Admiral." And with that, the transmission ended and Admiral Paris was left staring at the screen. Then he stood up, left his office smiling and hugged his secretary, not caring who saw.

"He's alive!" he cheered happily. "He's alive!" The officers around Admiral Paris watched in confusion as Admiral Paris started dancing in the middle of Starfleet Command and screaming, "He's alive!"

To Be Continued . . .

**I'll try to post the next chapter within the week, but don't kill me in case I can't.**


	3. Epilogue

**I do not own Star Trek Voyager or its characters, no matter how much I did.**

**AN: Just a short bit to sum it all up. I hope you enjoyed the whole story!**

Chapter 3: Epilogue

All that was left was for the Doctor to be sent back. He had relayed his message to Starfleet Command and was waiting for Commander Paris to send him back. He couldn't stop thinking about what he would tell the crew. He would first need to relay the Admiral's message and after that, he would be able to tell the story of how he and the mark two took the ship back from under Romulan control.

That reminded him that he would need to say good bye to the mark two. He stood in Sickbay and activated him.

"You haven't left yet?" the mark two asked.

"Not yet. I wanted to make sure you got those subroutines." It took the mark two a few moments, but then he realized what the Doctor meant.

"Download complete. Thank you, Doctor."

"No thank you. Your help was invaluable." After a few minutes of each other stroking the other's ego, they said good bye and the Doctor needed to leave Sickbay. He headed up toward the bridge, where he would be sent back to Voyager.

He stepped onto the bridge from the turoloft and found Ensign Markins waiting for him, ready to shake his hand. "Great work, Doctor. I hope we'll be seing you and Voyager soon."

"I hope so as well."

"And if you don't mind, could you tell Sam she's an aunt to twins?"

"I would be glad to."

"Their names as Samantha Jenniffer and Mathew James Markins. Tell Sam they can't wait to meet their Aunt Sam and cousin Naomi."

"I will, Ensign. I'm sure they both will be glad to hear the news." Markins smiled at the Doctor and he walked away. Then the Doctor finished his trip toward the Engineering station, where he would leave from.

Commander Paris was smiling at him as she pressed some buttons.

"Doctor," she began, "you have my persmission to annoy Tom as much as you want."

"Thank you, Commander," the Doctor said, knowing she was joking. He still couldn't help to think of the possibilities. There was a lot he could do to annoy Tom. "And I wish to tell you that your bedside manner is much better than that of your brother." She smiled as she thanked him, then said good bye for real.

A few seconds later, he was materializing in Sickbay and he smiled.

He was home with great news to spread.

END


End file.
